


they'll be lookin' us up when they all get home

by meathermac



Series: live a life from a new perspective [6]
Category: Not Another D&D Podcast (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Rock Band, Band AU: Origins, Best Friends, Beverly Joins The Band, Friendship, Gen, Swearing, a couple minor or background relationships, and beverly says that he has a boyfriend named erlin, band au, it's implied that moonshine has a thing for jaina, the band of boobs are an actual band
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:42:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26863069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meathermac/pseuds/meathermac
Summary: the two crew gains a third member.
Relationships: Moonshine Cybin & Hardwon Surefoot & Beverly Toegold V
Series: live a life from a new perspective [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1888468
Comments: 4
Kudos: 27





	they'll be lookin' us up when they all get home

**Author's Note:**

> i'm so honored to get to write more band au content and share it with you all <3 of course major shoutout to sam (blazeofglory) whom i adore with every part of my heart that isn't already taken up by love for the band au. mwah!
> 
> shoutout to the naddcord and ziscord as well (love you all very much)! 
> 
> note: the band au timeline is what we here in the business call "fucked up" so chronologically, this takes place maybe a few months after sam's fic "the two crew" and a couple years or so before sam's original band au fic. it'll make more sense later. 
> 
> hope you enjoy!

It's midnight and the bar is closing down when Moonshine gets a notification on her phone from a local dive bar called Blue Mana that says their regular Friday night canceled and they need someone to play, and she moves away from the bar to respond as quickly as possible. Hardwon looks at her weirdly, but she waves him off and excitedly lets the bar know that the Two Crew is available to play tomorrow night. As soon as Moonshine is done responding, she throws her arms around Hardwon and says, "Blue Mana needs someone to play tomorrow night and they want us, Hardwon, we're getting our first real gig!" 

He stares at her blankly, then realization dawns on him and he _ gasps _ . "No fuckin' way. No  _ fuckin _ ' way."

“I told ya!” she exclaims, punching the air. “I told ya we were gonna make it someday! Our first gig!” 

“Holy shit, Moonshine,” Hardwon says, still stunned. “Holy shit.” 

Jaina Bronzebeard walks over, leaning against the bar, and asks, “What’s going on?”

“We got our first gig,” she says, holding out her phone. “The Two Crew is havin’ its big break, baby!”

She's not sure if it's really their big break, of course, the Blue Mana is a little college dive bar just outside of town, but it's a  _ gig _ , a real gig, and they're gonna get to play it. 

Hardwon throws an arm around her and slides a couple of shots across the bar to Jaina and the other bouncer, Apple, who moseys her way up to the bar upon hearing Moonshine's excited cheering. He hands a glass to her and raises his own, saying "For the Two Crew's first gig!" 

They all cheer and down their shots, Apple congratulating them and Jaina promising to be there while Hardwon mutters songs to himself, already prepping a setlist. Moonshine just revels at the moment--it feels like the beginning of something amazing. 

They’re sitting on Moonshine’s shitty couch later that night, around two in the morning, poring over lists of songs and lyrics and with six or so bottles already emptied out, and the two of them are giggling and talking about what they’re gonna do once they’re famous.

"Do you really think we've made it?" Moonshine says, holding a beer in her hand but not drinking. "We haven't yet. Right?"

"No," Hardwon replies, grabbing her beer and downing it. "We haven't made it yet. But damn, Moon, we're a hell of a lot closer than we were yesterday."

They fall asleep on the couch together, Moonshine curled up against Hardwon, and when she wakes up for her morning waitress gig she leaves him a homemade muffin and a note with the setlist for the night. 

She’s buzzing with excitement the whole day, unable to focus on a single order or customer and even her half-shift at the bar can’t distract her from the sheer  _ adrenaline _ she’s been running on all day. It’s the most important night of her life, really, because Hardwon and her have been working for so damn long to get here and they might never get another fucking chance. 

Moonshine’s setting up at the Blue Mana bar when Hardwon shows up a little late, trying to drag the drum kit out of the back of his shitty truck and she’s still so excited she can barely think straight. She leans against the side of his truck and asks, “You have everything you need?”

“Think so,” he says, pulling an amp out and setting it on the ground. “You ready?”

“Hardwon, I’ve never been more fuckin’ ready for somethin’ in my entire life.” She sighs, staring up at the darkening sky. “Imagine there’s a record label out there right now. Waitin’ for the next big thing.”

He snorts. “There’s not a record label in this shitty college dive bar, Moon.” 

“Can’t a girl dream?” Moonshine smiles as she picks up the amp and starts to walk back into the bar. “Just think about it for a sec. Imagine it.” 

Hardwon just shakes his head and laughs. “Let’s just kick ass on stage tonight and then we can dream about the record label.” 

She throws up a peace sign, hip-checking the door open and reveling in the fact that she’s on stage, even if no one’s looking at her and no one cares that she’s up there, because she’s on stage and fuck, if she isn’t finally getting somewhere. 

They’re on stage not ten minutes later, and Moonshine clocks her half-brother, Deadeye, as well as the bouncers from the bar she works at, Jaina and Apple, and Jaina gives her a thumbs-up while Apple raises a glass and she smiles. No one else is really paying attention, but her friends are watching and she’s up on s _ tage  _ with Hardwon next to her so she’s fucking invincible. 

Moonshine grabs the mic and yells, “How are you doing tonight, everybody?!” and the rest of the bar melts into the bright lights as she starts singing, and it doesn’t matter that there are no record labels in the audience because as far as she’s concerned she’s fuckin’ made it. 

It’s about halfway through the set when she announces they’re gonna take a break, and Moonshine runs over to her friends and collapses on the table amid laughter from all four of them. Apple and Jaina offer congratulations while Deadeye teases Hardwon about throwing his drumsticks up into the air and not being able to catch them. 

“Y’all have no idea how hot it is up there,” she groans, and Jaina laughs. “For real though. I didn’t think it was that fuckin’ hot under all those lights.”

“Moony, you are a sight to see up on that stage,” Apple says, handing her a drink. “You two are kickin’ so much ass.”

She sighs, a happy smile plastered across her face despite the fact that every part of her feels tired--the adrenaline will come back when they get back up on stage. She downs the entire drink and throws a wink Jaina’s way before heading back up on stage to get ready for the second half of the show. 

Man, Moonshine could really get used to this. By the end of the night, there are people dancing and cheering at their songs, and it’s only a few people but it’s  _ somebody _ , somebody out there likes their music, and it makes her feel like she’s in fuckin’ heaven. 

As the show winds down and they begin to pack up, her brother and friends saying goodbye as the bar begins to clear out, the hour quickly approaching “fuck, dude, I have class tomorrow”. Moonshine’s talking animatedly about what songs they should sing next time when a boy who looks like he’s probably too young to be at this bar approaches them and says, “Hi, uh, you guys were really good up there. I just wanted to… er…” He trails off, looking away awkwardly. “Sorry.”

She waves him off, laughing. “Ain’t no thing, youngin’. Thanks for sayin’ so! What’s your name?”

“It’s Beverly,” he says, holding a hand out for her to shake. “Beverly Toegold the Fifth, ma’am.” 

“Ma’am!” Moonshine exclaims, shaking his hand before hers goes to her heart. “Youngin’, you’re makin’ me feel ancient.”

He blushes, kicking at the ground. “I just think you guys are really cool. Like, up on stage, you had such good energy.”

“Thanks, kid.” Hardwon stands up, brushing off his hands. “Means a lot.” 

“I think your songs would be better if you had, like, a keyboard or something,” he muses, fingers running through his hair nervously. “Like--a way to blend the melody and the harmony.”

She rolls her eyes, glancing over to Hardwon. “Thanks,” Moonshine mumbles sarcastically, but Beverly keeps going on. 

“It would just be like--maybe an extra electric feel? I don’t really know, I just think that if you were ever looking for a way to improve your songs--” 

“Alright, kid,” he interrupts, folding his arms across his chest. “I appreciate the compliments, but I don’t really wanna take advice from a scrawny thing like you, so I suggest you stick to tellin’ us how fuckin’ cool we are and leavin’ the criticism out of it.”

The kid goes bright red and waves his hands frantically in front of his face. “No no no no, that’s not what I meant at  _ all _ ! I just think you guys are really cool and  _ I  _ play the keyboard and I think you guys are perfect the way you are but also I think that maybe you could be even  _ more _ perfect so if you ever need a keyboard player my name is Beverly Toegold and I go to college here, so sorry to bother you have a good night!”

Moonshine reaches out to stop him as he turns to rush away and says, “Youngin’, we ain’t mad. You just came on a little strong there, that’s all.” She looks at Hardwon, who shrugs, before continuing with, “If you really think you can help us, you can come an’ show us what you’ve got.”

“What?” Beverly asks at the same time as Hardwon, though the kid is absolutely incredulous and Hardwon mainly seems confused. 

“Here’s my phone number.” Moonshine holds out her cellphone, open to her contact, and Beverly scrambles to type it into his phone. “You can text me this weekend and we’ll set somethin’ up. You better not be lyin’ about havin’ this kinda talent, youngin’.”

He nods eagerly and looks for a second like he’s about to cry before smiling at her and saying, “I won’t let you two down! Thank you so so much for this opportunity, I am so grateful for how kind you were to me.”

“We’ll see you around, Beverly,” Hardwon laughs, “Thanks, kid.”

As he walks away, Moonshine turns to Hardwon and asks, “Do you think I did the right thing?” 

“Yeah, probably,” he says with a sigh. “I have a feeling that kid’s gonna drive me crazy but fuck it, we might as well.” 

“We might have just made a new best friend,” she suggests. 

“I fuckin’ doubt it.”

Moonshine sighs contentedly and leans against Hardwon. “Well, you’re wrong sometimes.”

*

He _ is _ wrong about Beverly. They set up a time for him to come in and rehearse with them, and he’s  _ exactly  _ what their little band needed. Moonshine presents an overjoyed Beverly with a hastily scribbled piece of paper that reads “Official Member of the Two Crew” and invites him out to dinner with her and Hardwon, and the three of them head out to a local fast food place to celebrate--they’re broke, after all.

"Are we friends?" Beverly asks aloud about halfway through dinner that night, and Moonshine looks startled and confused. 

"Course we are, youngin'."

He smiles a little to himself and says, "Oh. Thanks, Moonshine." 

"You're a good kid," Hardwon replies through a mouthful of food. "We're friends."

"Hardwon..." She sighs. "He makes a good point, even if he's got thirteen sliders in his mouth. We  _ are _ friends, Bev."

He nods, staring down at his food. “Thanks, guys. It’s really nice of you to give me a shot.”

“You’re really good,” Hardwon says, putting his burger down. “I wasn’t sure about you, honestly, but like… you’re good. You’re gonna be a good member of this band.”

“You should come over to our place afterward!” Moonshine exclaims suddenly. “Shit, Bev, you don’t have anywhere to be tonight, right?”

“No?”

She claps her hands together excitedly. “Then come over to Hardwon and I’s place and we’ll have some fun after this. Keep the celebration goin’.”

“Do you mean like…” Beverly trails off, then lowers his voice to say, “alcohol and stuff?”

Moonshine starts laughing, putting her head down on the table. “Bev, youngin’, I meant talkin’. I’m not gonna force ya to drink, don’t you worry.”

"How old are you anyway?" Hardwon asks skeptically, and Moonshine rolls her eyes dramatically. 

"I'm eighteen," Bev replies, messing with the strap of his bag nervously. "Is that--I'll be nineteen soon, if it helps." 

"You're what?" 

"Hardwon," she mumbles warningly. "Don't be rude." 

He huffs, "I'm not going to be rude, I'm just saying the kid looks like he's thirteen at most." 

"I really am eighteen!" Bev protests. "I know I look young, but--legally, I can, like, vote and stuff! I'm in college!"

Moonshine stifles a giggle behind her hand. “You can vote?” 

“Well--okay--it was just the first thing I thought of, shut up.”

She laughs some more, then gets up and motions for Bev to follow her. “Come on, let’s get this food to go and head out. We can drive ya home afterward.”

“Sounds good,” he says happily, standing up to follow her. “Thanks--thank you guys so much. This is--this is really cool of you.”

“Of course, kid,” Hardwon replies gruffly, tousling his hair. “You’re part of the band now.”

Later that night, the three of them are sitting on the living room floor of Moonshine and Hardwon’s apartment and chatting about nothing important, really, but Beverly’s been quiet the whole time. Moonshine and Hardwon are best friends, have been for  _ forever _ , and Beverly feels like a ghost on the outside of the conversation, only sometimes interrupting if he has something interesting to say. 

"Did you ever end up getting with that Triss girl?" Hardwon asks, leaning back against the couch. "The one you met at the bar?"

"Nah, we just made out for a solid three hours," she replies. "Who was it that you met? Scarlett? What about her?" 

"No dice. You ever set anything up with Jaina?"

Moonshine sighs dramatically, rolling her eyes. "Someday, Hardwon, someday. Swear on it." 

"I have a boyfriend," Beverly mumbles, and Moonshine all but gasps. "His name is, uh, Erlin. He goes to college in our hometown. Sorry to interrupt, but we were talking about, like, romance and I just thought I'd say...."

"That's so  _ cute _ !" she exclaims, smiling. "Tell me all about him."

“Well--we’ve been dating since we were sixteen? He’s, like, my best friend.”

Hardwon looks at him, confused. “Wait, how old are you again?”

“Eighteen,” Moonshine and Bev say at the same time, and he just rolls his eyes. 

“I would have--I would have said something about Erlin earlier but I was--like, I know that it’s not weird but I didn’t want to like, overshare or something…” he trails off, embarrassed. “Sorry. I was just worried I wouldn’t fit in.”

"I think you'll fit in just fine, youngin'," she says, tousling his hair. "I think you'll fit in just fine."

He pauses for a second before hugging her tight, burying his face in her shoulder. "Thank you, Moonshine. Thank you so so so much." 

Hardwon leans over and puts his arms around the two of them as well, and all of a sudden they feel like a little more than a band--maybe a family of sorts.

**Author's Note:**

> lichen, commerce, and scribble, or leave a comment or a kudos if you liked it!!!
> 
> hit me up on twitter [@maplekeenes] or tumblr [@maple-keenes] to talk about how sweet these three idiots are


End file.
